Suction cup structure



May 18, 1943 J. E. DUGGAN SUCTION CUP STRUCTURE Original Filed July 29, 1940 FIG.

INVENTOR.

JAMES EDWARD DUGGAN ATTORNEYS Patented May 18, 1943 2,319,726 SUCTION CUP STRUCTURE James Edward Duggan, Detroit, Mich.

Original application July 29, 1940, Serial No. 348,264, 'now Patent No. 2,286,473, dated June Divided and this application March 23, 1942, Serial No. 435,889

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-206) This invention relates generally to suction cup structures and constitutes a division of my application filed July 29, 1940, bearing Serial No. 348,264, now Patent No. 2,286,473 dated June 16, 1942.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a suction cup structure that may be easily and quickly applied to and removed from a surface without marring the same.

Another object is to provide a suction cup structure having a valve means for controllin the suction or vacuum between said cup structure and the surface engaged thereby.

Another object is to provide a suction cup structure wherein the valve element of the valve means mentioned has a knurled stem by which said valve element and the cup structure as a whole may be manipulated.

Another object is to provide a suction cup structure that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and efllcient in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a suction cup structure embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the suction cup structure illustrated in Figure .1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mask applied to the suction cup structure.

Referring now to the drawing, A is the body. B is a centrally located socket member, and C is an adjusting screw of a suction cup structure embodying my invention.

As shown, the body A is formed of resilient material such as rubber or rubber composition and is substantially concavo-convex in configuration.

The socket member B extends through the body A from bottom to top thereof and preferably comprises an interiorly threaded tube ill provided at its lower end with a base i I having an opening I2 at the center thereof and having a laterally projecting annular portion i3 anchored within a suitable recess it in the lower face of said body. The upper open end of the tube i is substantially flush with the upper surface of the body.

The adjusting screw C has an exteriorly threaded shank l5 engaging the interiorly threaded tube It and has a pointed lower end It engageable with the edges of the opening I! in the base It. Said screw C also has a knurled head I! by which it may be manipulated and is provided between said head l1 and shank I! with an annular shoulder i8.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be apparent that the pointed end ii of the screw C serves as a valve element and that the base ll of the socket member B serves as a seat for said valve element. To permit the flow of air through the socket member B when the pointed end It of the screw C is removed from the seat ii, there is a passage is extending-longitudinally of the tube Ill throughout its length.

In use, when it is desired to apply the suction cup structure to a surface, the screw C is adjusted so that the pointed end l6 thereof seats firmly against the edges of and closes the opening i 2 in the base II of the socket member B. The concave surface 20 of the body A is then pressed in the usual manner against the surface to be engaged. The knurled head ll of the screw C may be used as a handle or finger piece for this purpose. When it is desired to remove the suction cup structure from such surface the screw C is adjusted to remove the pointed end i6 thereof from the opening I2 so that air from the atmosphere may enter the body A via the passage i9 and opening l2. When the vacuum between the body A and the engaged surface is thereby destroyed, the resiliency of the rubber body A and more particularly of the concave surface 20 thereof will cause detachment of the cup structure from the engaged surface without marring the same.

Should it be desired to use the cup structure to hold a paint mask such as a sheet D in place upon a suitable surface to be protected, then the body A of the cup structure would be upon the inner side of such mask, while the screw C would extend through an opening 2| in the mask so that the knurled head I! is accessible upon the outside of the mask. To prevent the mask D from being torn by the screw C there is a grommet 22 in the opening 2| in the mask emwith an opening 23 for registration with the air passage iii in the tube i0.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. A structure of the class described comprising a body having a suction face engageable with a surface to create a vacuum therebetween, and means for breaking the vacuum between said suction face and surface, including an interlorly threaded tube extending completely through said body from the exterior thereof to said suction face, an inner side wall of said tube being provided from one end to the other thereof with a longitudinally extending passage for air, the inner end of said tube having a closure substantially flush with the suction face of the body, said closure being provided in direct communication with the suction face of the body with an aperture through which air from the passage just mentioned may flow to said suction face, and an exteriorly threaded screw engaging the interiorly threaded tube without affecting the flow of air through said passage and having a pointed end engageable with the aperture aforesaid.

2. A structure of the class described comprising a body having a suction face engageable with a surface to create a vacuum therebetween, and means for breaking the vacuum between said suction face and surface, including a socket member extending upwardly through the body from its suction face to the exterior thereof, an inner side wall of the socket member being provided throughout its length with a longitudinally extending passage for air, the bottom of said socket member being substantially flush with the suction face and provided in direct communication with said suction face with an aperture through which air from the longitudinally extending passage may flow to said suction face, and a member adjustable in the socket member without aifecting the flow of air through the passage aforesaid and having a portion controlling the flow of r through said aperture.

3. A structure of the class described comprising a body having a suction face engageable with a surface to create a vacuum therebetween, and means for breaking the vacuum between said suction face and surface, including a socket member extending through the body from its suction face to the exterior thereof and comprising an interiorly threaded tube provided at said suction face with an opening through which air from the tube may flow to said suction face, an inner side wall of said tube being provided throughout its length with a passage for conducting air fromthe exterior of the body to said opening, and means adjustable in said tube and engageable with said opening for controlling communication between said passage and suction face.

4. In a structure of the class described, an interiorly threaded tube open at one end and closed at theother, the closed end having a centrally disposed orifice for air, the interiorly threaded portion of the tube being provided from the open to the closed ends thereof upon the outer side of said threads with a longitudinally extending passage for conducting air from the open end of the tube to the orifice in the closed end thereof, and means controlling the orifice without aifecting the flow of air through the passage including a manually operable element engaging the threads upon the interior of said tube and having a reduced end portion engageable with said orifice.

' JAMES EDWARD DUGGAN. 

